Pet clinic set for March 2

The City of Neosho is set to hold their second annual Neosho Pet Fair from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Lampo Center, 500 E. Spring St.

While the event will offer a convenient way for Neosho’s furry residents to get vaccinated and licensed, the day is more than just a licensing clinic. The pet fair will also include informational booths, limited pet grooming, and animals up for adoption.

“I look at it as a one-stop shop,” said Neosho’s public relations and events coordinator Wes Franklin.

Franklin said Faithful Friends Animal Advocates and the Carthage Humane Society will be on hand with rescued animals looking for a home.

“Even if they don’t have a pet, people can come to the pet fair,” he said, noting they could adopt a pet, get it vaccinated and licensed all in one stop. Dr. Kent Findley, of Pet Clinic of Neosho, will be offering rabies vaccinations for cats and dogs at a discounted rate of $5.

Franklin said additional vaccinations will also be available, though the prices for those are a bit higher.

Last year, the City of Neosho held a pet clinic in April at the Neosho Police Department, drawing approximately 450 people.

The date has been moved up this year to March 2 to better accommodate the licensing schedule, as annual pet tags expire March 1.

Franklin said those having their pet vaccinated the day of the fair only need to have their furry companion in tow, while those licensing their pets, but who have already received the required rabies vaccination, would need to bring proof of that vaccination to the event.

The city will not be able to accept credit or debit cards at the pet fair, so attendees should be sure to have cash or check on hand.

While the Neosho City Council has discussed the city’s pet license fees in the past two council meetings, no official action has been taken to change the fees.

However, in their Tuesday meeting, the council discussed lowering the city’s pet fees, making them similar to those charged by the City of Joplin.

The council recommended the fees to be written into ordinance, and are expected to vote on that at a later council meeting.

Though, because the change in ordinance will require a first, second and third reading, council will not have the time to do so before the pet clinic, as the next regularly scheduled council meeting is set for Tuesday, March 5. However, Mayor Richard Davidson said the council could meet in special session before the clinic to waive the city’s current pet fees and adopt the others for the one-day event.

The date of the special session meeting has not yet been announced. If council votes to adopt the proposed fees for the Pet Fair, the city would no longer offer lifetime tags, though annual tags would drop in price. Those who have already purchased lifetime tags would be grandfathered in.Meanwhile, pet licenses would be free for neutered pets, compared to the current $5 fee, while a license for a non-neutered pet would be $20, down from the existing $25 fee.

For more information about pet licensing or the Neosho Pet Fair, contact city hall at 451-8050.